Exploiting the Utility companies – Any success stories?
Discussion
Has anyone ever had a result with exploiting utility companies to your advantage?
I have, which goes along the lines of the following (a bit old hat with the prices today, but nevertheless, PH's may wish to note for future reference):
A very long story, but basically I didn’t get an electricity bill for over 3½ years, after moving into a new house. When the bill finally arrived it was for about £1,300 (this was about 4 years ago)
The bill was correctly calculated (units consumed), so not denying that I was liable to pay for what I’d used, I asked the provider to clarify how they could estimate how much electricity I had used in each of the 4 different billing periods (differing rates) for the period covered by the bill and what billing rate applied to each period (they had billed me at the current rate for the complete period). Anyway I fancied a bit of fun with them to see if I could exploit the “doubt”.
After a some argy-bargy with various lumps of plankton, that they called customer service, after some final negotiation, they offered to settle at £285 as full and final. Not bad for 42 months of electricity, so I paid over the phone.
The dumb f
ks! I would have happily paid about a grand, as I reckoned that I had used that much – and it would have been really easy for them to argue an average (or even apply the lowest) rate for the whole period.
I’d like to think I’d tied them in knots with the billing rate argument, as I only started out for a bit of fun… Result!
As soon as the payment had cleared, I closed the account and went somewhere else (and cheaper), so they lost out both ways
Any similar success stories out there?
I know, I know, the worst "Aren't I clever" thread yet
I have, which goes along the lines of the following (a bit old hat with the prices today, but nevertheless, PH's may wish to note for future reference):
A very long story, but basically I didn’t get an electricity bill for over 3½ years, after moving into a new house. When the bill finally arrived it was for about £1,300 (this was about 4 years ago)
The bill was correctly calculated (units consumed), so not denying that I was liable to pay for what I’d used, I asked the provider to clarify how they could estimate how much electricity I had used in each of the 4 different billing periods (differing rates) for the period covered by the bill and what billing rate applied to each period (they had billed me at the current rate for the complete period). Anyway I fancied a bit of fun with them to see if I could exploit the “doubt”.
After a some argy-bargy with various lumps of plankton, that they called customer service, after some final negotiation, they offered to settle at £285 as full and final. Not bad for 42 months of electricity, so I paid over the phone.
The dumb f
ks! I would have happily paid about a grand, as I reckoned that I had used that much – and it would have been really easy for them to argue an average (or even apply the lowest) rate for the whole period.I’d like to think I’d tied them in knots with the billing rate argument, as I only started out for a bit of fun… Result!
As soon as the payment had cleared, I closed the account and went somewhere else (and cheaper), so they lost out both ways
Any similar success stories out there?
I know, I know, the worst "Aren't I clever" thread yet
I lived in a rented house in London and didn't get an electricity/gas/water bill for 2.5 years. It turned out that the bills were going next door (we were 266, they were 266a). Because next door was rented to foreign students on short-term leases they never questioned the bills (or noticed the address was wrong) and had paid them all.
Result!
Result!
Not quite as impressive as yours but I had a huge battle with British Gas (second in the inept stakes to BT) over a bill they sent me a couple of months after I'd moved in. They said they'd underestimated the meter reading over the year and I was liable for the difference between estimated and actual amounts.
We argued for ages and a couple of times I got told it was a mistake and would be sorted. It never was so out of frustration I eventually asked them to stop contacting me and file a court claim if they wanted the money. The call centre monkey then apologised and assured me it'd be sorted that moment (I was certain it wouldn't be) but sure enough they credited my account not only with the difference but with the current bill (a couple of hundred quid) too.
I would have normally have let them know but seeing as I'd racked up hours on the phone trying to sort it I felt it was morally fair to keep it.
We argued for ages and a couple of times I got told it was a mistake and would be sorted. It never was so out of frustration I eventually asked them to stop contacting me and file a court claim if they wanted the money. The call centre monkey then apologised and assured me it'd be sorted that moment (I was certain it wouldn't be) but sure enough they credited my account not only with the difference but with the current bill (a couple of hundred quid) too.
I would have normally have let them know but seeing as I'd racked up hours on the phone trying to sort it I felt it was morally fair to keep it.
We've not had an electric/gas bill for the 8 months since we moved into a new place, even though I have seen 3 separate meter readers taking readings. Wonder how long it will be before I get a bill and then I can argue to rates as you did! There has already been one rate change since we moved in and I suspect it will change again in the next few weeks.
I didn't exploit a utility company, but stopped them exploiting. After I moved out they sent me a final bill of a £100 or so. But in order to arrive at this liability (after deducting my DD payments) they had gone back to the last date there was an actual reading and recalculated the bill for all useage since that date at the higher rate applying when the final bill was generated.
By checking their figures and disputing the matter I saved about £70.
By checking their figures and disputing the matter I saved about £70.
Zeek said:
Good stories about people who don't let them in to check the gas meter, but provide their own readings - always above the actual reading though, therefore "buying" units at the lower price today.
Oh, I do this too. They usually have a price drop in the spring so it's worth 'stocking up' then.Neil_H said:
How did you go 3 years+ without a bill? As much as I hate utility companies, I don't agree with doing that. You use it, you pay for it.
It was like this:Moved into a (brand) new house in Dec 2001. Got all meter readings and a list of who to call about setting up accounts Etc
Called the nominated electricity supplier - no record of property, or plot number, or the MPAN (Meter Point Allocation Number - which is a unique reference to the meter/property).
Called the MPAN central registry, who recognised the building site and plot number, but did not have my MPAN number tagged to my house (it is up to the builder to advise the registry what meters have been placed into which house).
The builder was a waste of time on this, so with nowhere to turn I decided to leave it a few weeks and try again (all of my new neighbours had exactly the same issue)
3 months later I called both the registry and the supplier back (several times) - still no success.
With nowhere to turn I decided to let it drift and see what emerged in the future. No electricity bills for 3½ years
June 2005 (3½ years later): I get an “estimated” bill from the original (nominated) electricity supplier - the opening reading corresponds with the meter reading on day one, but the “reading date” is Feb 2005. I check the meter and work out how much has really been used (about £1,300). Call the supplier, who (unsurprisingly) is not interested in the history and issues a new bill based on my reading. "Discussions" commenced
I had similar with British Gas when I moved into my current home. I was chasing them for a bill for almost two years before they finally got round to it (I kept logs of all calls, copies of letters & emails). Eventually the (big) bill arrived. I duly called them and informed them that if a gas company has failed to send out a bill, they can't bill you for any amount which dates back longer than a year. Bill duly halved. 
Not sure that you'd call it exploitation but my sister and her husband bought an ex-show home on a new development about 6 years ago.
They informed the utilities people of the relevant details. No problems.
Except when it came to the water. Contacted the supplier to "register" their details/meter reading only to be told that their address didn't exist.
Sister insisted it did (obviously!) but they were having none of it. No record of that postcode or property and absolutely not supplying/charging for water to such an address.
All these years later she has yet to receive an further correspondance from them but insists on putting £20pw in an account for if/when the day arises.
They informed the utilities people of the relevant details. No problems.
Except when it came to the water. Contacted the supplier to "register" their details/meter reading only to be told that their address didn't exist.
Sister insisted it did (obviously!) but they were having none of it. No record of that postcode or property and absolutely not supplying/charging for water to such an address.
All these years later she has yet to receive an further correspondance from them but insists on putting £20pw in an account for if/when the day arises.
Zeek said:
Good stories about people who don't let them in to check the gas meter, but provide their own readings - always above the actual reading though, therefore "buying" units at the lower price today.
Have I read that right? So in effect you over estimate to take advantage of the lower rates for buying more gas or buying ahead opf big price rises, then settle it all at the year end? Clever as long as the savings outweigh the fact they have your money.Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff